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d'oh!!!!! Fallfanatic I was up late last night and got your sweet reminder. And even though I was at Target this afternoon I completely forgot to check out the farmers market. I am so sorry! Oh well. I'll check it out next week. sigh
d'oh!!!!! Fallfanatic I was up late last night and got your sweet reminder. And even though I was at Target this afternoon I completely forgot to check out the farmers market. I am so sorry! Oh well. I'll check it out next week. sigh
What am I going to do with you???
Well.....I guess it's alright this time.
Does anyone know the time for the Thurs. FARM out in east Knox?
Re: West Wind Farms
Quote:
Tennessee tax being high, as a comment in general, and she says that technically she should not charge tax, because as a farm she is exempt and is not suppose to, but she does because she needs the money for farm upkeep. Of course, I did not know this.... When I got home, I see that she charged me 13 percent in tax. Legally, she cannot do this.
I know these folks & how it works w/ them. You actually misunderstood her. She does not charge tax. If you grow the food yourself, the farmer does not have to charge tax. What she charged you was a fuel surcharge. She travels from Deer Lodge, TN, up on the plateau- a "fer piece" - to bring the certified organic meat, poultry, & sometimes other produce to town.
It costs a LOT of money to raise certified meat & poultry. It matters a lot to some people to have this guarantee. They (the certified organic farmer) must pay extra for feed, hay that is not sprayed w/ toxic chemicals, have the meat processed by a certified organic processor (they have to travel out of state to do this), etc... They must work hard to compost & amend their soil naturally to grow healthy pastures & produce w/o chemicals. (In the long run, it becomes easier, but initially they are probably dealing w/ depleted soil.) There are a lot of rules & regs to maintain certification & extra costs to be certified.
I do buy from West Wind Farm from time to time, but you are right, it is expensive. (Farming is expensive! Even big Ag operations have trouble, but they are often subsidized by the government.) The WWF couple (it's just them) both used to work full time jobs just to subsidize themselves. Finally, one of them has been able to quit their outside job & devote their time to their farm. Still, these folks, and other farmers who have similar practices, barely make a living. Going through the extra effort to bring you foods that are free of toxic chemicals is a lot of work & expense. But, you avoid ingesting toxic pesticides & herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics (given routinely to animals kept in confined, inhumane areas to keep them healthy), etc...
There are other quality farmers in our area who generally maintain organic practices. I buy from Laurel Farms, too, but I try to avoid meat or poultry that are fed soy in their diets, & unfortunately, Tracy does give his poultry soy in their feed (& I guess the pigs, too). But, I love his pastured beef. I think River Ridge Farm basically has organic, pastured practices w/o any soy in the feed, but they are expensive, too. Again, coming a "fer piece" into town to sell their meat & poultry. And there are many other small farmers who are beginning to try to follow organic, & free range practices.
I basically only buy meat & poultry from local farmers who have organic practices & preferably don't feed soy. The nutritional content of their pastured meat & poultry is higher than those that are conventionally raised (higher omega 3, CLA, etc...). And it means a LOT to me to know that these animals were raised humanely.
It also means a lot to me to know that it is helping to decrease pollution by buying locally, rather than buying something that has been trucked half way across the country or world. And local small farmers, like those at our farmers markets, don't use mass quantities of toxic chemicals like big Ag has to do. So, I buy locally, whenever I can, even if it's not organic. Luckily, these days, there are more & more organic farmers around here.
I do pay more, & expect to, for organic & pastured products. Hopefully, I'll end up living longer w/ a higher quality of life, too.
I've already turned around some major health issues by eating better for the last several years.
Good nutrition matters. I'm only just into my 50's, & can't believe how many friends/ acquaintances, that are my age or younger, who have cancers, who have died from cancers, or who have some sort of neuromuscular disorder. When my folks were in their 50's, none of their friends had these sorts of health problems that are common place these days. I'm a nurse & see all these health issues now that we didn't have (as much of) even 20 years ago. I'm telling you, it is down right scary!! So, I will continue to follow the principals of non-profit organizations like the Weston A. Price Foundation- Weston A. Price Foundation (http://www.westonaprice.org/splash_2.htm - broken link)
& Slow Food- Slow Food USA
(& there are local chapters for both of these.) They aren't in anyone's pocket, they aren't trying to make money, so I trust their advice. And, as I said, my health has improved, amazingly so, & drug free! And this all started w/ buying products from West Wind Farm. They were the pioneers here in this area, & I think are probably still the only certified organic farmers who sell meat & poultry in our area. They deserve a lot of credit & thanks for helping improve many folks health around here!
Last edited by Beretta; 06-26-2008 at 06:58 PM..
Reason: fixed links
piedmont, do check out River Ridge Farm, too. They come to the Market Square on Sat. Our local WAPF chapter went out to their farm for a farm tour/ picnic potluck this spring & it was wonderful. They are also just one couple, & nice as can be, too. I have really enjoyed getting to know some of our local farmers over the last few years.
Wow, I've sure been all over the place "shopping" today.
Early on, I drove to Blaine to get milk & eggs. (A wonderful drive!!) Later in the afternoon, I found out the hours of the FARM market out east (by Target) from a friend who sells @ several of the markets. The one out east (I think it's called the Harvest Market) is a late one- from 4p-7p. I got there about 4:30 & it was hopping! I got some wonderful looking produce from all of the farmers.
Even tho' several weren't doing organic farming, the things I bought, they said, hadn't been sprayed. I got cucs, new potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, a mint plant, some HUGE, gorgeous, collard greens, & some peaches from Union county. (I didn't know they grew peaches around here.)
Laurel Creek was there, too, & I got some super thick pork chops & some smoked bacon & more eggs. (She told me he feeds very little soy. I guess the fact that they are pastured means more to me, so I got another dozen. You don't get those deep orange yolks- that are higher in folic acid, B12, & Omega-3 - unless they are out eating bugs & grass & such.)
I also got a Jalapeño/ cheddar cheese cornbread that the bakery guy does. I've heard they are fabulous, so decided to try one. They had a section set up in the back for kids to play w/ water hoses. They looked like they were really having a good time.
Later, my hubby & I drove out to Strawberry Plains to get some pastured beef from a farmer out there. (Another lovely drive!!) This was a Senepol beef, an old breed from West Africa. She said it was a really good one. Her husband (State Rep. Frank Nicely) was of the opinion that Angus were the best, but after eating this beef, he admitted it was better, she said. We picked up a Georgia cantaloupe from a road side place (I'm sure it's not organic, but hey- almost everything else I bought today was). It smelled devine!!!
So, my greens are simmering. The chops are ready to go on the grill (w/ lots of slivers of garlic impregnated throughout). I still need to slice the cucs & maters & melon, & also reheat the cornbread. Am I making anyone's mouth water? Mine is!
Bon appetite!!
Last edited by Beretta; 06-26-2008 at 07:00 PM..
Reason: cleaned up html links
EMc, your dinner sounds wonderful! I had always wondered about the dark yellow yolks. You see them so infrequently in grocery store eggs that when I do pick up eggs with the darker yolks, I am never sure if they are ok.
I guess they are more than okay; they are preferable. Thanks for the information.
I can see once we move I am going to need a shopping buddy for awhile so I can hit all of the right spots.
Your dinner sounds so delicious and after I served my DH and son our dinner tonight - a new shrimp dish - DH said, "Don't save the recipe!"
It's great that you can drive all over and have the money to buy such great food. Some of us can't afford to.
Well, let's examine this myth, shall we?
I have lots of friends who buy "great food" & who live on a tight budget.
And also remember, I'm hoping to avoid major illnesses, & having to take mass quantities of drugs, as mass quantities of folks do these days. (I'm saving a bundle no longer needing meds for arthritis, depression, etc... that I used to take.) I can't afford decent medical insurance coverage (I'm now a small business owner), so the superior, whole foods (that cost more) are my "meds" these days. So, not only do I save money not having to purchase those prescription drugs, but by being healthier, I feel better & hope to avoid the numerous major illnesses that are so prevalent these days.
So, it's a trade off. Spend my money now to eat better, feel better, & ward off some devastating illness.... or buy food w/ poor nutritional content, "enhanced" w/ toxic chemicals, & go back to feeling bad & spending my money on drugs & doctors & then quite possibly ending up w/ a brain tumor, or colon cancer, or pancreatic cancer, or leukemia, or MS or, or, or... (The list goes on, but the diseases I've listed are ones that friends have either now or are deceased from. Three have died w/ brain tumors.)
Now, on to costs related directly to the foods we eat (as opposed to healthcare savings). I was raised by thrifty, depression era parents. I've learned ways to eat great food & make it affordable. The pastured beef I bought in Jeff co. yesterday will do us for a long time. (LOL- 1st appliance my hubby & I bought together as newlyweds was a chest freezer. Now I have 2. It's a great investment!) But, it means I rarely get to "drive all over" tho'. I wish (I love driving out to area farms), but I only head out there to buy beef once or twice a year. The farmer's market was w/i ~ a 5- 10 minute drive from my house, however. I could have gotten everything there, except the milk. But, I would have paid a lot more. Buying in bulk saves us a lot of money. I belong to co-ops to get wholesale pricing for lots of things, which helps as well.
I'm in a carpool for the milk & eggs, so I only go to Blaine ~ once a month. I do pay a lot more for the milk ($7/G), but at least I get incredible nutrients & health benefits from the "fresh squeezed" milk. Not so much from any "store bought" version, where in it's "ultra pasteurized" form, you are essentially getting "dead milk", more like drinking water & a few denatured nutrients, some residual pesticides, & some added antibitics & growth hormones.
And, despite what Big Ag farmers want to convince you of, my real milk, is safer. The good bacteria (that they are starting to add back to some commercial dairy products, ex- DanActive) overpower any pathogens that might get in there. But, it's highly unlikely you'll find any pathogens in milk from pastured dairy cows in the first place. It's the grain & confinement conditions that breed those bad boys. But, like I said, in the unlikely event that some were to creep into my milk, I know that all those healthy lactobascillus will kill them off. They are the "super bugs" we want in our intestinal tract!
As for the eggs, I do pay almost twice as much as conventional eggs cost. But, the increased nutritional benefits, again, are a huge bonus. Knowing that the poor hens aren't having to spend their entire life in a cage so small that they can't even turn around in means a lot to me, too. Instead, where my eggs come from, the hens are out running happily all over the farm. It's the least I can do, for the far superior nutritional eggs they will provide me with. And, I'm glad to pay more to help support their natural lifestyle. They'll live longer & not pass on crappy salmonella "bugs" to us, like the confined hens can. (I can safely put raw eggs in the kefir/ fruit smoothies we enjoy a couple mornings a week.) And, I won't have to ingest the antibiotics that the caged hens are given daily in their feed so they don't get sick or the growth hormones they pump into them so they'll lay more eggs.
I don't know what the ave. price of hens are in a grocery store, because I haven't bought one there in years, but I pay $2.50 a lb. for an "eatin' hen". They have AMAZING flavor, greater nutritional content, & have the same toxin free lifestyle as the "layin' hens" do on the farm. Again, I buy several & they go into the freezer. Each one will provide several meals & wholesome broth.
And while the beef I purchased yesterday is more expensive (it is $6 / lb) than what you probably pay, I have a variety of cuts that will feed us on into the winter, as I got 50 lbs. Again, the health benefits from pastured beef are much higher than grain feed beef, & I don't worry about getting sick from E-coli (not uncommon) or getting mad cow disease (uncommon, but potential exists).
The pork chops I bought from Laurel Creek (at the farmer's market yesterday) were just wonderful! They cost $14 (for 2 large chops. I guess they were close to a pound & a half each). We were only able to eat less than 1/2 of them, so they will go toward a curry for tonight's meal.
All in all, per meal (of greens, cornbread, meat & other veggies), I'd say it cost ~ $5 (I will be able to get 4 + meals from the pork, greens & cornbread). 'Bout like McD's in price, but oh so much tastier! It took very little time to prepare. I have leftovers- my own "fast food" for future meals. And, the nutritional value I got from my meals, as compared to McD's, is no contest!! Plus, (you've guessed what I'm about to say, I bet...) no "bonus" toxic chemicals or pathogens.
Oh yes, I know how to be thrifty, my friend! And, if I prepare meatless dishes from time to time, (say, we have beans & cornbread & fresh veggies, or mac & cheese, deviled eggs & fresh veggies) then I can get my food costs down even more. And a little meat goes a long way in stews, soups & spaghetti sauce, too. I make home made beef & chicken stock from the bones which, when cooked slowly, releases lots of minerals & healthy gelatin. These go into the soups, sauces & gravies that make our meals taste so good & provide a rich source of nutrients. I also try to grow some veggies, too. Nothing's better than "fresh picked" from the garden, & seeds or even young plants don't cost very much. (I did splurge & buy a nice compost bin a few years back, & a rain barrel. They were very much worth the investment!! Now, I'm trying my hand @ vermiculture. )
By using your money wisely, you too can afford "good food"!! And it will taste better, help support a small farmer, decrease pollution, and possibly help you live a longer, healthier life. (Of course, you could die driving to the farmer's market .... there are no guarantees in life. ) What a great investment!
I'm sorry your recipe didn't go over well last night. I sure do loves me some shrimp!
We just brought a cooler full of shrimp & fish back w/ us from vacation. We had a free invite to stay w/ friends in FL on the gulf. (Too crowded for our tastes in vacation spots, but we still had a nice time.) Usually, we head to one of the barrier islands of SC, if we get to take a vacation. There, we often catch our own shrimp, crabs, & fish. Fresh caught seafood, makes my mouth water, but fresh frozen (soon after being caught by local fisherman) will be almost as good, I know.
Went to the Farmers Market at Market Square today. Got some wonderful things, so fresh and nice looking, it was great. Got a bunch of Fresh Lavender to hang in the house and the lady gave me a small bunch tied together for my car. It was nice and cool there this morning too. Then went to the Fresh Market, got great things there too, My oh My, I sure do love it here in Tennessee
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Maybe next week...
They were the pioneers here in this area, & I think are probably still the only certified organic farmers who sell meat & poultry in our area. They deserve a lot of credit & thanks for helping improve many folks health around here!
I wish (I love driving out to area farms), but I only head out there to buy beef once or twice a year. The farmer's market was w/i ~ a 5- 10 minute drive from my house, however. I could have gotten everything there, except the milk. But, I would have paid a lot more. Buying in bulk saves us a lot of money. I belong to co-ops to get wholesale pricing for lots of things, which helps as well. 
Market Square
